Call for records from Cootamundra Girls Home

Organisers of the Cootamundra Girls Home centenary want people with records of the stolen generations who lived there to come forward.

More than 500 people are expected to attend the Centenary of the Girls Home, on August 11.

Bob Glanville from the Organising Committee says there will be no retribution against anyone worried about holding some of the history.

He is confident there are records hidden away in Cootamundra back sheds.

"What happened in the past, records, important records have gone missing for one reason or another," he said.

"And a lot of the history of the girls at the Home has gone, but we know that a lot of it is still out there somewhere in the community.

"People that are listening, I urge them if they've got any records, any photographs anything to contact us.

"We would certainly look after those things.

"And for people who think they may have some records of those sad days and perhaps they shouldn't have them and they're a little bit apprehensive about coming forward, there'll be no penalty to them at all."

There will be some emotional reunions at the Girls Home, when members of the stolen generations meet up with old friends in August.

Mr Glanville says one farmer who took one of the Cootamundra girls for a holiday in the 1960s, learnt only a few weeks ago the Aboriginal girl had been taken from her family.

"They found out that she wasn't an orphan and they thought they were just sponsoring her for a holiday," he said.

"Asked me, did I know the girl?

"I didn't but I knew people who would have known.

"So I made a few phone and they did, they got in contact with the girl, who got in contact with the farmer and his wife and some good memories were brought back and I'm sure they'll be coming back for the event as well."